Chinese Vice Premier Huang Ju (2nd R, front row) meets with ministers of communications or their representatives from 17 countries who are here to attend the third Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference in Beijing Sept. 26, 2005.

China will step up international transportation cooperation and make further efforts for construction of a "new silk road" and a Europe-Asia continental bridge, Vice Premier Huang Ju said in Beijing Monday.

Huang made the remark during a meeting with ministers of communications or their representatives from 17 countries who were here to attend the third Euro-Asian Road Transport Conference.

Huang said cross-border road transportation is playing an increasingly vital role in promoting economic development, cultural exchange and social prosperity in Asia and Europe, noting that the conference is "very significant" in improving transportation services connecting the two continents.

The Chinese government attaches great importance to the communications industry and has input large investment into the concerned projects, Huang told the ministers, adding that China has already signed ten bilateral and three multilateral road transportation agreements with its neighboring countries.

Nearly 300 overseas delegates and more than 400 domestic representatives participated in the conference, which started on Sunday. During the three-day meeting, they will discuss road transportation potential in far east and southeast Asian regions, international cooperation between China and its neighboring countries, infrastructure development on Asian and European roads, and the best transportation and logistics cases in Asia and Europe.

Source: Xinhua